ASHRAE Rebranding Itself to Reflect Expanding Role

Acknowledging what it sees as the broadening of its scope from HVACR to the total building environment, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is repositioning itself with a refreshed logo, a new tagline, and a change to using only its acronym.

“ASHRAE’s original commitment to HVACR engineering excellence remains resolute, even as the Society continues to expand its influence into all facets of building design, construction, reconstruction, and operation,” ASHRAE President Ron Jarnagin said. “Just as integrated design is the cornerstone of sustainable buildings, ASHRAE members create an integrated body of knowledge to make buildings as high-performing as possible.”

The most visible change is ASHRAE’s new logo, which replaced the one created in 1959, when the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers and the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers merged to form ASHRAE.

“We want our logo to reflect that we are looking ahead,” Tom Watson, chair of the logo ad hoc committee, said. “The industry has changed, and so have we. In creating this logo, we wanted to pay homage to our HVACR origins by keeping the familiar hexagon and traditional shade of blue, while looking forward to a more sustainable future.”

ASHRAE’s new tagline—Shaping Tomorrow’s Built Environment Today—“serves as a promise to members and the industry that whatever the future brings in the built community, ASHRAE will be at the forefront for research and guidance,” ASHRAE said in announcing the changes.

The decision to do business as “ASHRAE,” as opposed to the organization’s full legal name, is said to reflect ASHRAE’s worldwide membership and the continued global evolution of ASHRAE’s services.

The rebranding coincides with a redesign of ASHRAE.org to improve navigability, the search engine, and tracking.